The proposals were voted on in February by the club chairmen - but the vote could not have been closer.

Under Premier League rules a two-thirds majority of the 20 clubs is needed, and only 13 voted in favour with six voting against - but Reading's decision to abstain meant that the motion was passed.

Chief executive Richard Scudamore is now pushing for the proposals to be approved on Thursday, and it is expected that the plans will be ratified despite some opposition.

It is understood that Fulham, West Brom, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Swansea and Southampton were the clubs who voted against the plans in February. Should another club vote against, or indeed Reading join the 'no' camp - then the proposals would be blocked.

The plans promise two significant controls; To limit players' wage bills from next season and longer-term measures that will restrict the amount of losses clubs can make to £105million over three years.

Clubs whose total wage bill is more than £52m will only be allowed to increase their wages by £4m per season for the next three years, but the cap does not cover extra money coming in from increases in commercial or matchday income.

The ceiling when the wage increase restrictions kick in will be £52m next season, £56m the following year and £60m in 2015-16. Only seven of the current top-flight clubs would be under that ceiling at the moment.

The regulations have come about against the backdrop of UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) initiative.

Under UEFA's new rules clubs are being forced to minimise losses or risk the possibility of exclusion from European competition from 2014/15.

Should Premier League clubs break their proposed new rules, Scudamore has already confirmed that they will face a points deduction.

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t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.